Alien Waters - a Felisfire Site fanstory
by DazeSprite
Summary: Wren Woods is an intern scientist studying the strange alien-feline life that inhabit the newly discovered planet of Felisfire. Earth's scientists seem to believe that the planet and Felinoids can be easily harnessed and studied, but there are unexplainable instances and areas that no one has dared to venture. Will the planet's discovery lead to progress, or downfall?
1. Chapter 1: A Step Into the Unknown

"Landing time in ten seconds. Please secure all belongings and remain seated. Checking for bridge status: landing approved. Runway has been cleared. Touchdown on planet Felisfire to begin in 9... 8... 7..."

A scramble of attention erupted as heads craned toward the seated windows of the ship. Sleeping passengers blinked awake suddenly and looked around, eyes bleary, as the announcement over the speaker mechanically chimed through the hull. All around, men and women of various backgrounds, ages and garments were shifting and preparing restlessly for a landing. Each one had endured a long flight through space. They had only woke moments before from their deep sleep in cryogenically frozen chambers. We had all slept in the dark, cold and shut off from all life and sound around us, as we had waited for what could only have been years in Earth time. But now, finally, our destination had been reached. The base above planet Felisfire: this was the place where all scientists were promised commission, careers, and eternal glory back on Earth, was directly below us. We would be landing shortly.

"6... 5... 4..."

The speaker droned on as the energy in the passengers rose in a flurry. Scientists were grabbing their bags and shouting to one another. Some were gesturing out the windows and chattering as eagerly as excited children. None of them had experienced a new planet before and the Earth stories of Felisfire were vague, thereby cloaking this planet in shrouds of mystery, scientific promise and of untamed wilderness. None of us knew just exactly what we were going to face outside the doors of the ship.

I remained seated and turned my head to face one of the porthole windows as the commotion continued. Just outside, a massive steel-built building awaited the ship's arrival. It spanned for miles across a portion of the planet and seemed to be floating high above the surface, kept in suspension by advanced technology in order to not disturb the environment far down below. In the distance I could see what appeared to be metal bridges branching out of the building reaching out and descending to touchdown onto various locations of the planet below. Perhaps they connected to laboratories on the surface of the oddly-colored terrains, or they could also be an easier access of travel for scientists who were performing research on the planet's biomes and wildlife. Overall they made the massive station appear to be more of that of a metal spider, its bridge "legs" being the only thing that eventually came in contact with the planet's ground.

"3... 2... 1..."

The ship clamored as it eased onto the docking station. Before the door had even opened an inch there were people hurrying to its entrance. The noise of hundreds of voices at once became an unintelligible roar, and I rose to somehow find my way through the teeming mob. I had only one bag with me; a dark low-slung shoulder bag. Whatever else I needed I assumed I would be given. Other scientists, however, seemed to have come more prepared; I watched as suitcase after official-looking suitcase was rolled around in front of me and manuevered through the crowd. A thin, dark haired man who was rolling four on a cart cast me a sideways glance as he noted my bag and my general appearance, then shook his head slightly in what appeared to me to be disbelief. I stared back at him as unwavering as I could as if to challenge him to say something. I knew the look he had cast me rather well from the beginning of this journey; I was already greatly aware that I didn't fit into the appearance of how most "scientists" were imagined.

For one, I was younger than most of the scientists around me; only 22 years old and in search of an internship. One professor's connection to another had led me to sign the form that had granted me entry onto the project. I had been told over and over that it was a one of a kind opportunity: a guaranteed job that would bring me more money than any other internship, and that if I didn't act now I would forever regret not taking advantage of the recruiting. Now, however, here I stood: a rather short college girl with sporty, boy-cut and bright red hair framing my almond-brown eyes. To make matters worse, I was dressed in a heavy metal band t-shirt and slightly faded jeans; I had prepared for what compared to an airplane flight while others had boarded dressed to the around me was much older, predominately middle-aged, with lab coats and professional dress wear. I was starting to regret not wearing a business-casual outfit myself, but no one had given me the memo on the apparent dress code of the flight. When I had heard we would be frozen for several years and then some, I had thought casual wear would have been appropriate. Who sleeps in a dress or suit anyhow? I wondered.

The dark haired man cleared his throat and began to make his way out of the filed line onto the dock, his trolley of large suitcases pushed in front of him. I followed behind him silently, wishing that I wasn't so self-conscious, while he left the landing station and disappearing into a sea of strange faces. The scientists were everywhere; the passengers leaving our ship mixed directly with others who were waiting to be assigned duties, meet with their arriving team members, or otherwise tend to the ship. All around it was just a vast blur of energy, voices, shouted commands and moving labcoats.

I struggled to find my direction among the various moving people and the shock of unfamiliarity. Where was I going? Where did I check in? I had received no orders or instruction up to this point, and suddenly I felt so lost in the cracks of this mass of people swarming around me. They were like ants frenzying from an upturned anthill. It took several moments of pushing, shoving and craning until I could spot a middle-aged woman with luggage from the ship. Surely she had just arrived, and would be going to the same place I was? Latching onto the only hope I had, I raced to follow behind her as she made her own trek through the onlookers. A clinging, desperate determination kept my eyes fixated on her trailing suitcase at all costs and my chest tightened whenever an interjecting walker cut us off in between and caused my to lose that sight for a brief moment.

We soon entered a tunnel off of the docking station and moved away from the flocking crowd. From here we passed many corridors, and every entrance seemed to be covered with large signage translated into many languages. They indicated the direction of shuttles, ships, labs, research facilities, conferences, project headquarter offices, and many other points that I was not familiar with. After several blind turns, we finally entered a giant, polished chambered room with a shimmering marble tiled floor and a large, rounded desk that took up most of the space in the room. A sign was suspended from the ceiling above which labeled the desk as the "Scientist Registration and Assignment". Here, I assumed, was as good as any place to ask where I needed to be, and I let out a sigh of relief to know that I now had at least a starting point in my journey.

"Hello there, welcome to the Felisfire project, we are so grateful that you have joined our research team. How can I help you today?" A burly man with curly brown hair and faded stubble greeted the woman in front of me with a smile.

The woman with mousey-brown hair that I had been following spoke in a low voice to him for several minutes as he replied and nodded, giving a "yes" when necessary and shaking his head during other pauses. I couldn't hear what she was talking about since she spoke so quietly, but it seemed as if the man could hear her at his range. He soon turned around, skimmed through a file, and returned with a large packet hauled in his arms.

"You will be in section 889CX your scientist ID number is #22441, you can find your laboratory by travelling through section C tram station #5, west side transit. Follow the yellow signage to the appropriate station if you need directions," The man nodded with a large smile as the middle aged woman grasped her folder and immediately rolled off with her suitcase. The sound of her heels clicking against the metal floor and the wheels of her luggage rumbling sounded for several seconds until she disappeared down another corridor. Now there was just me, and the cheerfully smiling man at the front desk who waited with clasped hands.

"May I help you, miss?" The man didn't break in his smile even once as I hesitantly stepped forward. I was trying so hard not to look or sound like an idiot, since I had already appeared out of the ordinary in the crowd of professionals who gathered here.

"Yes, my name is Wren Woods. I just arrived here and am looking for my... assignment?" I spoke as professionally I could and with careful wording. Hopefully assignment was the correct term they were looking for, because I honestly wasn't entirely sure what I was supposed to be doing now that I was here. From what I had been told, I assumed I would be interning under an experienced scientist. I would more than likely be assisting with a project, filling out paperwork, helping record findings of research and doing whatever it was the scientist I had assigned asked me to do. With any luck, and a few months, maybe I would be trusted enough to perform a few experiments on my own.

"Woods, yes hold on just one second!" The man was beaming so enthusiastically that it made my forced smile hurt just looking at him. Was he naturally this happy all the time, or was it just part of his job? I couldn't imagine a desk worker being so excited about giving scientists their paperwork everyday and reiterating the same lecture, over and over...

I stared as he fumbled through files once more. Now that I was closer I could see that there were about hundreds of shelves built into the wall behind the desk, and that each one must contain a list of scientists in alphabetical order. Luckily, the W's seemed to be near arms-reach as he shifted through the assortment with determination. I could just make out the writing on the labels.

"Ah hah! Here it is!"

I flinched back in surprise as the man suddenly spun around with a thick file in his hand and slammed it down on the counter. "Woods, Wren" was stamped across the front of the binding in large, official-looking print.

"You will be in section 6779XR your scientist ID number is #22442, you can find your laboratory by travelling through section H tram station #7, east side transit." He recited by memory, then out of nowhere he suddenly pulled out a camera. "Smile!"

I blinked in alarm as a flash erupted without further warning, and the man hurriedly pulled a card out of a printer beside him. Handing it to me, I realized he had just taken a picture for my photo identification card. To my horror, the red-haired girl in the photograph stared back at me with wide, scared eyes much resembling a deer caught in the headlights, my mouth open slightly. Now all of the scientists in Felisfire would know me as the panicked intern who couldn't even pose for a picture properly.

"Um, can I retake this...?" I asked the man as I looked slowly back up at him and blinked.

"Haha! It's fine, it's fine! Just move on to your next location," The man grinned without allowing me further explanation or complaint. I wondered if he was completely oblivious to how my photograph had turned out, or if he possibly just did not care in the slightest. He probably took millions of photographs per arrival.

"No really, can I retake it?" I narrowed my eyes at him slightly as I held the Identification out for him to see.

"Hello! Welcome to the planet Felisfire! How many I help you today?" The man had already moved to the other side of the counter, refusing to look in my direction, and was now waving on an impatient woman in line. She of course, immediately raced up to him and began babbling off a loud list of instructions, to which I would not be able to interrupt even if I had tried.

It seemed then that my plea for a retake had been ignored, and I secretly prayed that they didn't actually look at these ID's. Maybe it was just for a precaution, or an entry card to swipe into the facilities. Otherwise, I would have yet another unusual trait to add to my list of not fitting in here on the Felisfire Project.

Reciting the words of the desk worker in my head, I meandered my way toward the signs around the room, following blindly the small ones marked with "Sections 600-700 XR". I wasn't sure how far I would have to travel before reaching the mentioned section H or the tram system, but these signs would have to be my lifeline if I was to keep my head about me in this maze-like place.

As I trekked, I noticed that every hallway was made of the same reinforced metal and every turn seemed to lead to the same sights and scenery. A bleak tunnel with dimly lit lights, where occasionally there would be a potted plant, a framed document or a flier along the walls. Aside from these landmarks and the signs leading my every turn, I had nothing else to hold on to.

I clipped my ID to my belt loop while I walked and made sure to hide it partially with the edge of my shirt and my shoulder bag, so that the image wouldn't easily be seen. If anyone asked for it, I would give it to them, but I would rather not let everyone else witness my horrible photo moment as I walked by.

The amount of people was starting to grow among the hallways and gather in small clusters, walking in the same direction as I was. I began to wonder if they were going to the same section, and why so many of them seemed so sure of themselves. Unlike me, they were not casting second-glances at the signs, or around the corridors. They walked with a gait of confidence, of authority, and chatted with eachother just as casually as if this had been their home for as long as they could remember. I wondered if any of them would end up working with me, or possibly be the scientist I was assigned to. The man at the desk of course had not mentioned who I was assigned to, but I could guess that it was probably in the packet he had handed me, if anywhere. It was so full though, that I was afraid of opening it up here for fear of the contents spilling out. I decided that I would open it once I had followed his instructions and finally reached the lab I was assigned.

Section H was easy enough to find: the last passage I took ended up splitting into various directions, each labeled with a large letter above and an entry way to several tram stations, which would then branch off in various different directions. I assumed these were the "bridges" I had noted on the ship; in reality they were a part of a complex tram system that allowed access from the main base to Felisfire itself.  
Tram 7 was further back, and while I searched for it, I passed crowds of scientists also holding packets and luggage, waiting for their tram to arrive and their journey to their own labs to begin.

"Tram 7, East side transit now boarding. Please stand back as the doors open," A mechanical voice rang out from the station speakers as the doors to the tram slid slowly open and the inside illuminated in a flood of blue-ish light. The transportation was clearly made from the most high-tech materials and metals available, funded heavily through Earth's science programs and the spoils of the released research.  
Many people on Earth believed that by researching this planet, we could find cures for current diseases, obtain rare materials to be used as more efficient fuel sources, or find a solution to a vast amount of worldly problems. Thus, it was widely known that the Felisfire program had been able to easily construct top of the line laboratory and transportation facilities to aid their research. This, was clearly just one example of where the funding had ended up.

As I took a seat, the tram began rocketing forward at a quick-paced speed. Inside, however, it felt like hardly any motion had occurred. Not even a lurch, or the feel of gravity pushing me back indicated that we were moving, but outside the windows the surroundings began to blur as we reached a break-neck speed. The metal lab opened up to an open sky and to bright daylight, but that of an unusual sun with a stranger warmth. I tried to glimpse at the scenery as we passed, but it flew by too quickly. A blur of strange trees below, blood-red rocky plains, fields dappled in color, and then suddenly, open plains of water. The tram followed the track for at least twenty minutes, each minute leading to less and less structures surrounding the area. Soon it was nothing but track, and the tram began to slow its course.

"Arrival in one minute. Main station approaching. Please remained seated. As always, be wary of Xenofelinoids when exiting."

I straightened up in my seat. Xenofelinoids, we had heard much rumors of them back on earth, and even glimpsed at circulated images of the alien like creatures. These alien life forms with much mystery and behavior surrounding them, I had heard them described as dangerous, and also cat-like, hence their name, but I hadn't actually seen one since arriving here. Naturally the thought of meeting an alien creature made me nervous. As a child, you hear about aliens in science fiction movies, but this was all too real. These were creatures not from Earth, and reral beasts I had no experience of handling or approaching. I now wished someone had at least briefed me on what to do when encountering one, because I had not expected to do so in a tram station. Had they overtaken the station, or managed to somehow get into the labs? 'Oh no...' Suddenly, I wasn't sure if I knew what I was getting into at all.

The speaker rang out, and soon the doors were opening with a slight hiss. I staggered to my feet and hesitantly made my way onto the station, only to freeze in my tracks outside the doors. All around me were groups of scientists, and around them, gathered groups of cat-like creatures of a blinding rainbow of colors and sizes.

I staggered back as a giant serpent-like head suddenly swung into view and peered directly into my face. Its green eyes were like slits and white fur coat glossy. The horse-sized creature peered at me for several moments, sniffing at my face with its hot breath, and as my heart dropped in my stomach, suddenly it headbutted me with a nudge-like demeanor. A rattling erupted from its throat, of what seemed to be a purr-like sound.

My legs were shaking as I reached up and sort of rested my hand on its muzzle in a weak attempt to push it away, but soon a voice rang out.

"Snowball! Stop pestering the other scientists," A heavyset man with a medium-length brown hair and a beard reprimanded the creature, and then cast an apologetic look back to me as he gestured for it to approach him, "Sorry, the Xano is too friendly with strangers," he shook his head, but smiled as the white Xenofelinoid came back to him and tugged at his sleeve.

"Xano...?" I repeated as I stared uncertainly at the giant felinoid. So that was what that one was called, I assumed. There were still several other strange ones around the room, but I wasn't too keen to run into any more creatures. One especially, a large spiked lizard with an armored metal coat, set me a bit on edge as it lumbered robotically around the scientists.

"Thanks... Do you know how I can get to my lab?" I asked slowly as I tore my gaze from the metal creature, then paused in my thoughts as another realization hit me, "Wait, you named it Snowball?" I raised an eyebrow at the man. I had thought that these aliens would be subjects, but few scientists named their subjects pet names. Well, not ones that I had known, anyhow.

"Well, it is better than Xano number 112203" The man admitted as he ran a hand through his hair. He looked almost slightly embarrassed about something as he said it, but I couldn't pinpoint what exactly. "Yeah, the labs are behind me. You should have a number assigned in the packet. There are bridges that lead to each one according to number. Different scientists are designed different biomes, but this lab station holds beachfronts. Many of us study aquatic life and of the Aquus species. The wild ones, however, will be further away from the established buildings. They tend to be shy of humans when not tamed." The man nodded matter-of-factly, and then grinned, "First day, huh? Yeah I remember those times," He guided his Xano away toward another hallway, shaking his head once more.

"Er- thanks again," I answered gratefully, but also rather clueless as to what an Aquus was. I guess I would find out after heading to my own lab assignment, if it really was that big of a study here. It seemed I had a lot more to learn about this place than I had expected, if I was not even familiar with the species that inhabited this place.

A long tunneled bridge led me straight back to what appeared to be various beachfront buildings on the dunes of the sand. They were somewhat less metallic and professional than most of the architecture I had seen up to his point, and I assumed that was due to its location near the water. There was also however, almost a customized feel to the place. I could see that the lab owners in some of them had taken to decorating or personalizing the outsides of the low buildings and huts with pastel paints, shells, and various artifacts gathered. I was soon hit with the realization that this stretch of lab would be my home for however amount of time I would be on Felisfire. All of my work would be done here, supervised under scientists, and I could see that farther away from the labs were separate, wooden-paneled beach huts, where the scientists must live and sleep. They would be kept in proximity to allow easy access to research and work while the scientists lived on the planet.

I stopped at the end of the bridge to open my packet for the first time. Inside I found a long lengthy letter of introduction to the project from the board director.

"Greetings and welcome to the Felisfire project. Inside your assignment packet you will receive a map of the facilities, a program goal guidebook, our recent monthly assessment and the information pertaining to your assigned career, including laboratory designation and research goals. Please contact the information board with any further questions or assistance. The lead of your scientific research team is also listed and should be contacted first for immediate assistance and designations."

I flipped through the pages. The map would have been helpful to know about before hand, but I wasn't going to worry about that detail now. What I really needed was the information sheet for my job assignment. I pulled out the yellow-printed paper and scanned it closely.

"Wren Woods.  
Laboratory: 9a  
Housing: C  
Research leader: Laura Sanders  
Team objective focus: Aquatic life research and biology  
Individual Objective: Xenofelinoid breeding, genetics and behavior study. *required of all project scientists. Findings and reports must be made to Project Felisfire headquarters."

I folded the paper back up and slid it back into the folder. It seemed the bearded man with the Xano had been correct when he said that this lab section worked to study aquatic and marine life. Not only would I be working with them, but it seemed that I was also assigned to breeding and studying the Xenofelinoids as an individual assignment! I thought back to my uncomfortable encounter with the Xano and cringed a little. It looked like I was going to be spending a lot more time in close proximity to the strange alien creatures than I had expected. A very close proximity.

"Hello! Are you Wren Woods? I'm Laura Sanders, or Dr. Sanders, the research leader of this section of laboratories," A woman in her forties with a round face, tanned skin and thin, sandy-brown hair that fell just past her shoulders in a wave greeted me with an outstretched hand and a welcoming smile. She was wearing the traditional white labcoat one would expect of a professional scientist and a lavender top with gray pants underneath. Her eyes were light green that seemed to contrast against her darker skin.

I shook her hand with a slight dazed nod. I hadn't seen her approaching until now and I realized she had probably seen me shifting through my information folder like the new recruit I was. "Yes, that is me," I stumbled in trying to seem professional.

"Well excellent! Come with me, your lab is this way," she smiled warmly as she turned to direct me past the double doorways. A sign was posted across the entrance: "Section 6779XR Aquatics Lab. Assigned Personnel Only Past This Point."  
I took a small breath as the doors swung open and we took the first steps into the official-looking building. The lights were bright inside and the air smelled strongly of disinfectant and of strange metals heating. I followed behind Dr. Sanders as she briskly passed one doorway and another, until we reached the doorway labeled as "9a" on a plaque overhead.

I tilted my head. The door was very thick and made of inches of steel. The outside revealed various security measures for access, including what appeared to be a card key swipe.

"Here is your personal lab; you will need your identification card to swipe in and unlock the door. There are also cameras installed to ensure the lab is used by you alone. I have a masterkey to all the locks, so follow my lead,"  
Dr. Sanders pulled out and swiped her own ID in one quick, fluid motion, then pushed open the latch. The door beeped, clicked, and a light flashed from red to green alongside the lock in succession. Soon it swung open with a heavy creak and gave way to darkness.

As I followed the woman into the shadowed room, I could already see various lights flickering and gleaming from circuitboards along the walls. Some sort of machine was whirring and another was emitting a series of beeps in a pattern every few seconds. Dr. Sanders moved to the side and soon the lights flickered on, flooding the lab in a blue-toned, artificial brightness.

I could now see that the room held a large monitor beside a keyboard and a thick circuit panel. Behind it on each side were doorways that led to other rooms. Closets maybe? I wasn't so sure. Wiring lined the walls and ran across the floor, and a desk had been placed in an empty corner where it housed a laptop and a thick stack of official-looking notebooks. There was a single cabinet beside the desk that held a vast many tools. There were microscopes, jars for holding small specimens, and just about anything small that I could reasonably imagine a scientist may need on hand.

"This is the main room of the laboratory. You can find the monitor here that allows you to access the Felisfire database as well as technological programs and a vast amount of resources for aiding with your work. If you follow me, I will show you the Engineering Room, which is to the left behind the monitor. Following that we will visit your Cryochamber and then your nest."

I walked behind the woman blindly once more as we entered the first mystery room, what she had deemed as the Engineering Room and Cryochamber. I saw now that it was a much larger room than I had expected and spanned a great length ahead. Cylindrical tubes were hooked up to monitors and pipings all around the walls. Near the doorway they were empty, but as we passed by rows of tables and tubes, soon there were some that had been filled with a mysterious green substance. Inside were large eggs the size of a basketball, carefully placed in each tube casing and hooked up to what appeared to be electrodes and piping.

"What is this...?" I asked as I peered closer at one of the eggs and placed a finger against the glass. There were six eggs all together and all looked identical in shape, texture and form; a rough-scaled ruby-colored oval with a dark capped top. Each one was resting in a different tube, hooked up to their own set of wires and electrodes. I could see the small monitors beside them were lit up and various charts were being analyzed on the movement inside the egg as well as the vitals of whatever was inside.

"These are your first subjects. Or your 'original six', as we scientists like to call them. Each scientist who pursues breeding research and genetics are given six common Xenofelinoids to start with. These are the most common species and easy to tame; the Felidae. You will engineer them on your own, using our laboratory resources, and will be able to determine their gender and basic appearance. During our original stay in Felisfire, this technology became available to us after thorough experimentation and research.  
Once you have been able to complete the engineering process, you will begin the hatching stages and hatch your Felidae. These six will aid you in your initial breeding and genetic research. There are currently a vast majority of the scientists sent to the planet with a focus on genetics, but we are still gathering research of various forms in hopes of making sense of the creatures. As you have noticed in your paperwork, each scientist is required to submit findings on Xenofelinoid genetics and breeding after so many months to aid the project's research. Our lab section has been mostly working as a team to pull together findings while we also pursue our main objective of aquatic research, similar to the expression of 'killing two birds with one stone'," Dr. Sanders explained with a slight nod of her head. She stood close to the displayed eggs, and briefly paused to check their vitals on the screen as she adjusted a few wirings and fastened a couple of valves.

"Now, don't become confused; Xenofelinoids do not actually reproduce through egg laying: they give live birth similar to that of mammals. They reproduce most similarly to that of Earth felines, actually. However, we were able to store the species DNA and create an unborn Felidae through an egg-like structure in order to perform our own original genetic experiments. This is helpful in that it allows us to work with feli that have not inherited genetics from parents at all. In essence, we are starting from scratch. These 'blank slates' will be the start to learning how genetics pass down and traits and markings evolve through generation. This may not seem very important to you at the moment, but our laboratory has lately been focusing on the breeding and interactions of the marine Aquus species in particular for our individual required genetic reports. In order to keep up with our research, you will need to grasp the basics of Xenofelinoid genetics, and the best way to start is with Felidae," Dr. Sanders turned back to me and smiled as she gestured to a diagram that hung on the wall; the anatomy of what appeared to be a common house cat, but with strange wings protruding from its back.

I blinked in disbelief as I took in all of this information and focused on the eggs and the diagram. My head seemed to be buzzing with everything that the research leader was explaining to me. I was also overcome with the sudden high responsibilities they had given me. When the project had assigned me the task of genetics and breeding, I had not expected them to entrust me so soon with something as huge as altering the genetics of unborn aliens right from the start. It seemed like a big task to take on so quickly, especially for a new trainee.

At the same time though, it intrigued me. Here were these eggs holding unborn "Felidae", a blank slate just as Dr. Sanders had said, lying in front of me. I knew that by altering genetics and DNA with the technology we had on hand, vast changes would occur to the unborn creature. Weight, height, and appearances were all controlled through DNA, as well as hundreds of other traits. Already I was eyeing the secured cabinet in the corner of the room, marked "DNA markings and specimens closet". Would that be where I would begin my search and experimentation?

Dr. Sanders waited for me to process all of this information before she continued. "There is a handbook by the specimen closet that explains how scientists on Felisfire have altered the genetics of the Felidae. Our current notes regarding the specimens and the markings they produce are also found there. You can use the monitor on the wall to pull up a 3D model of any species and preview the mixture of DNA and the effect it has on markings and traits. Only the markings we have recorded will appear on the screen, others will need to be discovered and recorded by scientists as they pursue their fields of research. New species of Xenofelinoids have also been discovered every so often, and so we are regularly updating the designer. It is important if you are in the field to take notes on the wildlife you see, because every new discovery is crucial to our research." The light-haired woman instructed carefully. I noted the sudden seriousness in her eyes as she last spoke, and I wondered if maybe she had experienced discovering new wildlife. It was quite possible as a scientist that she was striving to make these contributions, and when one was on an unknown planet, who knew what mysteries were out there?

Dr. Sanders' gaze lightened and she smiled once more, waving with her hand for me to follow her lead,  
"Now then, let me show you the Cryogenic Chamber. You can access it through the right doorway of the main laboratory room, but it is connected with a hallway through here as well," The woman opened a door and soon disappeared down the hallway. She took a slow enough pace for me to keep up as well as for her to continue her introduction.  
"The Cryogenic Chamber is a 'freezer' of sorts. Here you can stop your Xenofelinoids from aging and keep them in one state for any amount of time. If you recall, you yourself were cryogenically frozen on your trip to the planet. The same system applies to this section of the lab. There are various chambers in which you can open and store your Xenofelinoids for later research and interaction with no adverse reactions or harm to the specimens. Like you, they will merely wake up from a long induced sleep as if no time has passed."

Once I had reached her side, I stared around at the room. Large vaulted doors led to the chambers she spoke of and each had labels for a scientist to write on. One door stood open, and I could see a glimpse of the mini chambers inside where the feli would be situated. It was not much unlike the chambers I had experienced in travelling by ship here.

"Past this area is a door that leads outside. There is an area marked off, sheltered by a wooden awning and lined with bedding on the sand. This is where your nest will be, or the place your unfrozen or hatched feli will stay when you are at your lab working. They have free reign to wander, but they do not tend to want to go too far. A Felidae's natural instinct is to stay with the clan and their home. Other species, however, can be a bit of a different story. It is always best to keep a sharp eye on the feli you let out in general. We have had some... mishaps," Laura announced with a small sigh as she directed me to an open door at the back of the room, though we did not go outside. I could see that it was a backdoor that led into the sun-baked sand. Just as she had said, further across the coast but still close by was the "nest area". I could hear strange noises outside nearby, and realized that other labs probably had similar nests positioned along the coast as well, in different places to allow less interaction. Those must be the sounds of calling Felinoids.

Dr. Sanders shut the door and led me back down the second hallway, which connected back to the main lab room.  
"Well, that is the gist of your laboratory tour. The only other thing you need to know is that your housing is further up the coast away from the water. The houses are all in a line and easy to distinguish. The letters are labeled across each door and your key to get in will be your ID, so do not lose it. There is one bedroom, one bathroom with a shower, a kitchen area, and living area with an office in each. As a scientist, you will probably spend most of your time in your lab or in the field. Our team, as I have mentioned, will be working on the study of aquatic life. I expect all of the scientists to work as a team and take various trips to research topics involving the aquatic life of Felisfire.  
As the team leader, I am in charge of assigning these projects and of leading the research, and so I will announce when we will be working together and the locations we will meet. For now, just settle in and get used to your surroundings. It is a big change to take in and a lot of information at once, but you will get the hang of everything soon, I promise." Laura winked at me and when it seemed that I had no further questions, she then turned out the door, waving a hand. "If you ever need me, I will be in lab 1a, it is where I spend most of my time independently."

I only caught one last glimpse of her welcoming smile before she disappeared completely, her footsteps sounding outside the doorway. The heavy metal door of my lab clicked shut and beeped as it secured itself and locked behind her, leaving me to stand alone in the strange whirring and humming room.

My head by now seemed to be so full of new information. I was afraid that I couldn't take in another new detail or a list of instructions, or everything might be forgotten. Though the long ship ride in the cryo sleep had kept me forever rested, I suddenly felt as if I had been awake for days. The fatigue from being in such a new place and trying to manage my surroundings was slowly taking its toll on me.

Though I knew that I should probably grasp a better understanding of my lab and to begin experimenting at some point, I decided that those things would have to wait until tomorrow. I needed to let my mind process all of this information if I was to not horribly fail my first experiment in front of the entire lab section on the beach.

I slowly trailed my way to the back door Dr. Sanders had previously shown me, leaving the strange mechanical sounds to drone out and the metal walls behind me. Outside in the distance I could hear the sea rolling and crashing softly against the pale sands. Though the huts and labs were along the sandy coast, the ocean was still surprisingly far away from both and one would have to walk for a few minutes to reach the waves up close.

As I looked up, I realized that the sky had become a bit darker then it had before and was now bathed in a bright blood-red. If this place was anything like the Earth I knew, then it meant that a sunset was approaching. I hadn't realized it would be this late so soon after my arrival, but then again I wasn't sure just how many hours I had spent trekking through the large base and trying to find my way around. Inside those metal walls it was only too easy to lose track of time and to be shut off from one's natural surroundings.

My shoes shifted through the sand as I began making my way across the coast toward the wooden-paneled huts that I had seen earlier. I could start to hear voices growing louder into earshot as strangers laughed nearby, and the smell of a smoking bonfire was drifting heavily through the air. Apparently some of the other scientists must have been done for the day as well and enjoying what little time they had before dark. I did not stop to seek them out, however. I was too tired at this point and I wasn't sure I wanted to handle any more new faces and introductions right at this moment; everything else was already too new to feel entirely at home.

Being in alphabetical order, my hut C was one of the first few in the line, closest to the direction of the labs. The house was of a pale cream wood color, similar to that of Earth's beech wood, but with flecks of an unusual darker maple color splashed across the planks. It was from an alien tree, most likely. It made sense that on a new planet, even the wood here would be different.

From a distance I had thought that the huts had looked a little shabby as the only wooden shelters among steel buildings with artificial lights, but upon closer inspection I now realized they weren't the makeshift little houses I had expected. These huts were sturdy, similar to that of a log cabin, but built strong enough to withstand even that of powerful winds. The roofing was also carefully designed to allow the intense rainfall in the area to run off without affecting the structure. The front porthole windows even, seemed to be reinforced with a stronger type of glass then I was used to at home to prevent it from breaking. The scientists or architects in charge had clearly made this hut in preparation to last any sort of dangers that came along with storms in a water-focused environment. I wondered just how many they received here on a normal basis?

The plank-board stairs creaked slowly under my feet as I stepped up to my porch and then paused to fish out the identification card that I still had attached to my belt loop. There was another swipe system installed into the frame beside the door, and just as Dr. Sanders had done at the lab, I slid mine quickly through and watched the light blink from red to green while the door clicked and swung open. What lay before me was a furnished living room complete with two red couches, a dark wooden coffee table, a large bookshelf and desk with a portable computer, and lastly, a monitor in the living room that I assumed would serve as a communication with the base. The wooden floor was draped in various rugs from soft spot-patterned animal fur that I did not recognize but looked surprisingly like wool.

Past the living room there was an open kitchen with a surprising amount of higher tech cooking devices. I assume that like the lab, there was probably a generator somewhere concealed behind the hut. Power and running water didn't seem to be an issue here despite our location. I was surprised by the amount of technology that was available to the project, though it was founded by the world's most brilliant scientists and advanced means. It seemed that our lab section really took care of its scientists to go as far as to provide their homes with these advances and ensure the necessities are well met.

I opened up the fridge unit with curiosity. It looked as if someone had already stocked it to some volume with odd fruits, drinks, and also frozen meat which lay inside the freezer unit below. A sticky note was attached to the inside of the door that held scrawled writing, "Welcome to the project! We hope you make yourself home here. - Dr. Laura Sanders"

I picked up one of the fruits and turned it over in my hand. The object was strange, a large purple berry that resembled a cross breed between a pomegranate and a raspberry. I set it carefully back down, questioning what it would even taste like. I wasn't hungry, and I wasn't sure I was up to trying something that looked so questionable just this moment.

Sighing, I threw my shoulder-bag and crumpled packet down on the nearest couch as I again crossed back into the living room and made my way towards the closed door of the next unexplored room. Opening the door revealed it to of course be what I was looking for: the bedroom. There was a queen-sized bed on a square wooden frame in the center. A wardrobe was set up to the right of the bed and a desk to the left, facing out the front porthole window and towards the distant sea.

In the back of the room was the entrance to the bathroom with a shower just as Dr. Sanders had mentioned. I took a moment to glimpse at myself in the mirror above the sink. The young women looking back at me seemed to hold an expression of slight uncertainty, as if this was all a lot to take in at once and she was merely looking for some familiarity in this place. I told myself that it was always like this in a new place for the first time, and shouldn't I be used to it by now?

I shook my head as I walked over to the wardrobe and opened the creaking doors. It seemed clothes were also stocked here for me, which was lucky since I had few with me from my arrival. I unchanged into my sports bra and dark boy shorts, tossing the rest of my clothes dismissively into one of the drawers alongside the new clothing. The hut may be air conditioned, but the climate here was warmer than that I was used to. Sighing a second time, I finally sank down to collapse into the bed. The pillows were stuffed with soft feathers, and the gray sheets were silky and light enough to keep one comfortable in the humid temperatures. As I adjusted myself into the sheets and lay down, staring at the ceiling, I realized that this place was far from my home. While every amenity was assuring that I would be comfortable in the hut, there was still the idea that I was on an alien planet, light years away from the Earth I knew. I wondered how my friends and family were doing there; it would have been many years for them since I had left and fallen into my cryogenic sleep, whereas to me it felt only like a day ago. I had gone without really thinking that I would miss them.

I adjusted to my side, considering all of the new tasks I might face here and what was also expected of me. Dr. Sanders seemed supporting enough from what I gathered of her. At least it was nice to have someone greet me today with a welcome, and not a questioning stare. I knew that I too would have to start experimenting and engineering soon, just as she had asked me to before aiding with the work of the lab team on their aquatic life studies. I prayed that I wouldn't do anything to mess this up or make me even more of a misfit in this place that I was supposed to call my new home.

Shutting my eyes tightly, I refused to think of these thoughts any longer. The more I would worry, the more I knew I would be afraid and nervous. I just wanted to ignore it, to forget, and to feel at home somehow.

Soon the weight of the exhaustion was settling on me like a heavy blanket and my buzzing thoughts were drifting off, leading me into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up after what felt like several long hours of sleep to a strange sound outside the hut. It was a low eerie hum, followed by muffled sloshing and repeated squelching. I rubbed my eyes and stretched out my cramped arms before slowly pushing away the sheets and sitting up on edge of the bed, my feet hanging casually over the side. It was odd that I had slept so comfortably in a new place once I had actually fallen asleep, and I assumed that it must be approaching at least the early morning by now.

However, much to my surprise, the sky was pitch dark from the window. I blinked and stepped out of bed to draw closer, and I realized I could hardly see anything from the outside except what was dimly illuminated from moonlight. A strange moonlight it was; I could not see the moon but it seemed the light was shining from overhead and glinting off the darkness on the ground in a mixture of white and red light.

Red light...? I blinked once more, wondering if I was actually still asleep. No, I was sure I felt as wide-awake as ever, and if this was some dream, then it was extremely vivid. Too vivid, even. I rushed to my wardrobe and threw on an outfit casual clothes: a pair of black shorts and a silky, white short-sleeved button-up over my tank top. I quickly styled my short hair with a few waves of my brush and applied my pencil eyeliner to my makeup. I was planning on going outside to investigate, and even though it seemed ridiculously dark out, I still feared of running into someone without anything on. A force of habit, I guess, but I was so used to the routine by now that it only took a few seconds.

The front door creaked slowly as I pulled it open and began to step out onto the porch. The entire time I stepped out, I was peering at the sky alone in a curious fixation. It was black, and stars freckled among the heavy clouds, but what really shocked me was the moon. Or should I say, the moons.

High in the center of the sky was a very large white orb, a moon very much like Earth's but at least four times larger from my viewpoint. It took up most of the sky above, and further to the horizon I could see another smaller orb a third of its size: a blood-red, rust colored planet that appeared to glow just as strong. My mouth was agape as I fixated on the two and stepped off of the porch, but suddenly a cold surge shot up my leg as I found myself stumbling into dark, shallow water. Water!? I cast my gaze down in alarm and scrambled back onto the safety of the porch, my legs and shoes now soaked and dripping all the way up to my knee. The ground... I realized that what I had thought had been the ground was all water, spanning for as far as I could see and even further away in the distance.

Not just water; it was the ocean! The ocean that I had heard from such a far distance had risen and moved all the way up against my hut and the huts of the other scientists. Its tide had seemed to be effected by the size and the amount of moons present.

I looked around in utter shock and confusion. No one had informed me of the behaviors of this planet to much extent. Felisfire had two moons, and this much change in the tides? I wondered in alarm just what this would mean for everything else on the planet. On Earth, everything you knew as a scientist you were taught based around Earth's behavior, but I was starting to realize with anxiety that on this planet, even the basic things I knew from an early age may be irrelevant. Knowledge of tides changed when the moons positioning and size, and amount, were not the same. Knowledge of time, of days, all of this would change due to this one new fact. Suddenly I felt like I didn't know anything about science. I would be coming into this planet with previous knowledge that may not even help me, I would be learning as a complete empty slate.

The low humming sounded again, this time louder, and the sloshing echoed from nearby. I spun around and squinted through the darkness and the moonlit-reflecting waves to try to find the source. At first I saw nothing, but then... I thought I could see ripples enveloping the surface of the water. As I stared closely, a pair of glinting, green cat-like eyes were peering straight at me, sending a chill down my spine. The creature wasn't moving, and all I could see of it were its eyes just above the surface, the rest of it submerged in water. It stared at me for several long seconds, then finally, spun around and submerged completely. The ripples along the surface trailed far away from my hut and then disappeared out of my range of vision.

I released a breath I hadn't known I had been holding in. I had no idea what that creature was, but I hadn't wanted to find out. Something about the way it peered just above water unblinking was enough to unnerve me. Had it been merely watching, or had it been deciding whether to strike? I suddenly was glad that I had retreated back into the porch; who knew what would have happened if that creature had found me in the water? I shuddered, imagining it possibly trying to pull me under, or swimming just around my legs where I had not realized it might be...

My attention snapped upward once more as a bright blue light suddenly drifted into view of my porch, its artificial color rippling in harsh reflections off of the surrounding water. I could see as I squinted that behind the light was the outline of a person, floating on what could only be a boat of some sort. The light was slowly drifting closer and the boat seemed to be approaching.

"Hey!" I shouted out to the stranger and waved my arms above my head in a frantic gesture. It had to be someone from the neighboring huts, and I wondered if they had any idea of what I had just seen or what was going on. At the least, I wanted some of my questions answered about how this planet worked.

The figure seemed to look up and then the boat turned its course toward my hut. I waited as the light began to creep closer and slowly flood everything around me. Soon I could see every little detail around my hut, and the figure began to develop from the shadows as well.

He was an older man, possibly in his 50's or 60's, with short gray hair, a rounded face, and small gray stubble. His eyes were squinted slightly and wrinkles formed at the edges as he examined me in somewhat of confusion and thought. Possibly, he was trying to remember if he had seen me before. I could see that he was wearing a brown plaid jacket with long sleeves and tan pants with what appeared to be fishing boots. In his hand he was holding a lantern, which was clearly the light I had seen from afar, and by his side was a small tool-chest resembling that of a tackle box.

"Yes? Can I help you, er..." The man began in a gruff voice, looking thoughtful once more as he cast a glance at the hut and then back at me.

"Wren Woods. I just arrived and was just assigned to the project yesterday," I explained, clearing the look of confusion on the older man's face.

"Oh, a new one! It's been a while since we had new ones here, and a younger one at that. You arrivals are all getting younger and younger, I tell you. You may as well be children." The man shook his head slowly, "Though we can use all the help we can get, and I suppose you have to start somewhere. Yes, indeed.

My name is Ralph, I've been on this project for quite some time. I spent twenty years on Earth aiding the study and preparations for the space exploration of Felisfire, and then another ten on this planet. I've been moving around for quite some time to different studies and areas, but lately I have been in this stretch of lab studying the fish-like species, as well as the Aquus with your head of research," Ralph nodded, "You could say I'm a regular here, in fact there isn't a lab worker I haven't seen before."

"Oh, that's... wow, that's a long time," I replied, a little taken aback. Thirty years spent on this project? Ten years on Felisfire? To him, I must look really like a scientist with no experience, and I found it very likely that he knew many things that I did not and probably should. There must be a lot of common knowledge around Felisfire, and here I was, with not even an inkling of how this place worked or what was on it! As intimidated as I was though, I was also grateful to have run into someone who knew so much. Perhaps Ralph wouldn't mind helping me out a little, at least to understand some things about this place.

"Hey Ralph, since you are a regular here and know much more than I do, I was wondering, um, about the two moons... and also, I think I just saw a strange creature a few seconds ago in the water?" I ran a hand through my hair awkwardly and then hid both of my hands in my pockets. It was so hard to not sound dumb when asking questions such as these, that I was sure every scientist already knew about. I really hoped I wasn't jeaopardizing my standing views as a scientist to be known as "that girl who doesn't know anything about Felisfire".

"Ah, the two moons, eh? I'm surprised no one has told you yet. Well, things do get busy around here, it's hard to inform every newcomer about every aspect of Felisfire upon arriving. Yes, yes, a pretty unusual sight, now isn't it? Certainly gave me a shock when I first arrived.

That large one up there, the big white one, now that is Titus. It's what we call the 'main moon', as it's so large it does just about all the controlling of the tides and changes them pretty drastically compared to Earth. It's why we had to build our lab so far away from the shoreline, you see. You can imagine that any building close to the ocean line during the day would be underwater by high tide, which is now, in fact. Thankfully we do also have precautions against that; advanced technology and the like, I won't bore you with the mechanics, as I'm sure you'll find out soon.

But that red one over there, that one is called Infernus. The two cycle the planet similarly to that of Earth's moon, but because of them Felisfire's night lasts longer than Earth's does. Infernus though, has some odd heat generating off of it, warming the earth mildly as a sun might do, but not nearly as bright or hot. We are still researching their effects on the planet. Basically, along with a day that runs for- about fifteen hours, you will have a first section of the night, Titus Time, which runs for ten hours. Infernus rises at mid-time but will not set completely until another five hours past Titus' setting. Then, the sun rises.

Felisfire doesn't run on the same 24-hour days as we are used to, it instead runs on 30-hour days. It can be tricky to adjust to, mind you, but many scientists like me have chosen to work some through the night and add sleeping times to better fit the change. Right now, oh we are about past mid-way Titus Time. I would say give it another eight or nine hours before day-break. Hmm... make that seven. I should have brought my watch with me, but I've lost them too many times while boating." He looked up at the sky thoughtfully and then shook his head as he rested his gaze back at me.

"Thirty hour days?!" I repeated with a dazed blink and tried to keep my mouth from opening in disbelief. If the man was correct in that there were still seven hours left of night, I had slept for a full night's sleep on Earth time and it would still not be morning for a long while!


End file.
